How to Apply for a Learners Permit in New Hampshire

In order to get a learners permit, you must pass the written knowledge test in your state. The learners permit exam will test your understanding of driving rules to ensure that you are ready to operate a vehicle on state roads. Seven out of 10 drivers fail the written test on their first try. However, by taking a premium DMV.com practice test, you are 5 times more likely to pass the exam on your first attempt. Premium online practice tests cover all the major topics that you will see on the official exam, from road signs to regulations. In addition to preparing for the written test, most states require you to pass a drivers education course, and you will be required to submit a learners permit application, payment for fees and proof of your identity, residency and citizenship to the DMV.

2. In Person at the DMV

When applying for a learners permit at the DMV, you will be asked to provide identification documents that verify your full name, date of birth, state residency and citizenship status. Note that states will also require you to submit a drivers ed completion certificate if a program is required in that state. Additionally, you are required to pass a written knowledge exam and pay for all applicable fees. To make sure that you are prepared for test day, schedule an appointment with the DMV ahead of time. Furthermore, to avoid additional visits to the DMV due to potential mistakes, double-check that you have all the correct paperwork before making a visit.

You cannot get a learners permit in New Hampshire because the state does not require minors to go to the DMV before driving with a parent or guardian. Though you cannot get a drivers permit in New Hampshire, there are still prerequisites you have to meet before driving on state roads with adult supervision. Additionally, there are a number of prerequisites you need to fulfill in order to apply for a Youth Operator License when you turn 16 years of age.

Minors who hold a Youth Operator License do not need adult supervision in most circumstances, but there are still some restrictions on their driving privileges.

In the following sections, you will learn all that you need to know about getting a learning license in New Hampshire, including: how old you need to be, which documents you need to bring to the DMV and how to pass the learners license exam.

Did you know? More than half of drivers license applicants in New Hampshire fail the knowledge test on their first try. Get prepared for the written knowledge exam with our practice permit tests.

New Hampshire Learners Permit Eligibility Guidelines

Driver learner requirements in New Hampshire state that you must be at least 15 and a half years of age in order to operate a vehicle with adult supervision. If you are a minor driving with adult supervision, you need to be a resident of the state who is legally allowed to be in the United States.

To get a New Hampshire learners license, you will need to successfully complete a Driver Education Program. As well, you will need to drive with an adult for at least 40 hours. The time spent operating a vehicle in your Driver Education Program does not count towards this 40-hour prerequisite.

Once you have fulfilled these prerequisites, you will be able to go to the DMV. A drivers learners license application will require you to get the consent of a parent or guardian. You will also need to successfully pass an eye exam, a written test and a road exam.

How to Apply for a Learners Permit in New Hampshire

The process of getting a learners license in New Hampshire requires you to go to the DMV in-person. You will not be allowed to complete an application by mail or online, as you must take the three tests and submit the necessary documents at your local DMV. When deciding where to get a learners license in New Hampshire, you should determine if your nearest office also administers tests.

If it does, you can take the tests at the same location you apply for your license. You will need to pass both the eye exam and the knowledge test before you can take your road exam. The eye exam and the knowledge test do not require an appointment, but the road exam does.

To apply for a learner license, you will need to fill out and submit the Application for Driver License or Non-Driver ID Card. This application asks for basic information such as your name, Social Security Number and height. You will also need to present the DMV with four documents proving:

Your identity. This can be done with a birth certificate, passport or Certificate of Naturalization.

Your Social Security Number. This can be done with a Social Security card, a 1099, pay stub or W-2.

Your address. This can be proved with a rental agreement, tax bill, title application, notarized parental signature or vehicle registration; you may also use a mortgage statement, utility bill, paycheck or official government correspondence, though these documents need to have been issued within the past 60 days.

Your driving education. This is proved by the Driver Education Completion Certificate, which is issued once you have completed your driver education course.

The above explains how to apply for a learners license that is not REAL ID-compliant. REAL ID-compliant licenses can be used for federal identification, such as when boarding a domestic flight. If you want a REAL ID license, you will need to submit a second document proving your address.

If you do not have a document proving your Social Security Number (SSN), you can provide the DMV with a second document proving your identity. However, will not be able to receive a REAL ID using this method.

The New Hampshire Drivers Permit Test

The New Hampshire DMV learners test has 40 questions on it, and you must get 32 of them correct in order to pass. If you do not pass the learners license test the first time you take it, you will need to wait at least 10 days before you are eligible to take it again.

The New Hampshire drivers learners test covers topics such as:

Basic driving maneuvers, including parking, turning and more

What to do in emergency situations

The consequences of driving under the influence

When determining what to bring to the Youth Operator license test, keep in mind that only a form of identification is required. However, you may choose to bring an NH Driver’s Manual as well, in order to study before taking your exam.

You will find a small New Hampshire DMV practice license test at the end of every chapter in your DMV Manual. These practice tests are designed to let you know if you have properly absorbed the information in the chapter. The Youth Operator drivers license practice tests cover the same material that will be on your knowledge test, but the questions will not be worded in the same way. Supplementary practice tests are also available online from trusted third party providers.

New Hampshire Driving Permit Rules and Restrictions

Youth Operator License rules in New Hampshire state that you can drive with as many family members as you would like in the vehicle, so long as there are safety belts for each passenger in the vehicle. In addition, there is not restriction on how many passengers you can have, provided they are at least 25 years of age.

New Hampshire Youth Operator driving hours are from 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. You cannot drive outside of these hours with this credential. These rules will no longer apply after you turn 18 years of age. However, you will not be able to get a driver’s license until you are 21 years of age.

New Hampshire Learner Permit Fees

Lastly, it will cost you $50 to get a learners license from the New Hampshire DMV.